In the Unknown
by fairytailmage27
Summary: Lucy decides to go on a mission for 1,000,000 jewels. Mira lets her go on the job, but is a little worried since Lucy decides to do it solo. After feeling like she was being watched, Lucy heads to the Mayor’s office in Clovertown to find out about the dark mage Crypto. She heads into the forest the next day to investigate. What happens next?


It was dark. So very, very dark. I blink out the tiredness in my eyes and try to focus on my surroundings. All I can see is a sliver of moonlight shining on the floor of my prison. It was a stone cube about the size of a bathroom. While I am looking around, I spot a metal door. I shakily walk over to it, noticing how sore my legs are. I reach out for the door and feel for a handle to open it. It's locked. I exhale dryly and go back to the corner I woke up in.

As I sit down, and I take notice of how my limbs are sore and shaky. They feel brittle and bruised. How did I get here? Why am I here? I try to think back; and I see this.

 _*Flashback*_

 _I was looking at the request board, and my eyes widened and twinkled in excitement. I finally found the job that I've been wanting to go on! I quickly snatch it off the board. I skip over to the bar and slap the paper down on the counter. I smile up at the stunning white-haired takeover mage._

 _"Well hello Lucy. You're looking extra excited today. Did Natsu finally stay out of your bed?" she asks with amusement in her ocean blue eyes._

 _"Haha very funny Mira. Anyway, I was wondering if I could go on this job." I say, rolling my eyes._

 _"Yes you can. Let me just put Team Nats-"_

 _"NO! I'm gonna be going solo this time! No need to put Team Natsu's name in." I say with a tight smile, hoping she would accept._

 _Mira looks at my skeptically before sighing. "Alright. Just please be careful. This looks like a dangerous one."_

 _"Don't worry Mira. I will be. Also, don't let Natsu find out about this please. He will kill me! I will be back in a week at the latest. Goodbye Mira!" I say with a smile._

 _She looks at me worriedly before waving. I walk out of the guild and towards my apartment. I open the door hoping not to find that pink-haired pyro. I guess luck was on my side since he was nowhere to be found. I shrug before reaching under my bed to get my suitcase._

 _I pack clothes, toiletries, and a sleeping bag. ' **This should cover me for a week.** ' I think with a nod._

 _I grab my suitcase and start heading for the door. I grab my house key and lock it behind me before heading to the train station._

 _I purchase my ticket and head inside the and start looking for a booth. Once I have found one, I sit and take the flyer out of my bag. I read:_

 **Help! A Dark Mage That Goes by the Name of Crypto Has Been Taking Young Females.**

Magic: Unknown

Reward: 1,000,000 J

Location: Clovertown's Mayor

 _I nod before putting the flyer back up. I'm really excited. I mean 1,000,000 jewel, that could cover my rent for the next year or so! Without Natsu, Erza, and Gray here to destroy half of the town, I might get all the reward and not have to spend most of it on damage repairs this time! It's a win-win situation!_

 _I get myself out of the dream of having all the reward money and try to drift to sleep. Hopefully by the time I wake up, I will be in Clovertown._

* _Time Skip_ *

 _"Ladies and Gentelman we have arrived in Clovertown. Please start making your way towards the exit if this is your stop."_

 _I groan before rubbing my eyes and sitting up slowly. I look around at all the passengers getting off and reach for my bag. I open the compartment door and make my way off the train._

 _As I'm stepping onto the station platform, I get a chill down my spine. I look around, as if someone's watching me, and shake my head; trying to shake that feeling off. After continuing to walk around for another 30 minutes, I finally see the Mayor's building._

 _I walk up to the doors, and show the guards my FairyTail insignia. They nod and open the doors for me. One of the guards lead me to the Mayor's office silently. I look around while I'm walking and admire the beautiful artwork painting the walls. ' **Maybe I should get some paintings in my room as well.** ' I think._

 _I snap out of my thoughts when I hear the guard open a door. I look up to see the Mayor with his head in his hands and empty bottles of whiskey decorating his desk. I clear my throat to get his attention. He jumps a little in his position and then slowly lifts up his head to look at me. I can see the all the stress behind them. I give him a polite smile and lift my hand to show my insignia. He gives me a wide smile and motions me over to take a seat near his desk._

 _"Ahh you must be Lucy Heartfilia of FairyTail. Thank you so much for coming out so far to help us."_

 _I give him a grin. "It's really no problem, sir. I am always happy to help people in need. Now if you don't mind me asking, do you know where these women are disappearing to?"_

 _I see him grimace before slowly shaking his head. He looks up at me with sad, teary eyes and sighs. "The women who are disappearing have went into the woods and not come back. We have sent our most skilled soldiers out there to look for them but have always come back with nothing."_

 _I nod with a thoughtful look on my face before giving the man a smile. "Don't worry. I will try my best to find Crypto and get all those women back to your town!"_

 _He gives me a teary eyed smile and nods. He gives me the location of the forest and has the guard escort me back outside. I give them a quick thank you and start to head to a hotel. I have decided that I will sleep for tonight, and maybe try to get some research on this guy, then in the morning start looking for the missing women._

 _I smile at my plan before walking into the hotel. I tell the lady at the front desk I need a room for the night and she politely takes the jewel and hands me a key. I make my way up the wood stairs and to my room. I unlock the door and step in. There's a queen bed, a coffee table and a bathroom. I close me eyes and exhale. ' **I can do this** ' I think while setting my bag on the ground. _

_I go to the bathroom and open the door. I see a shower, bathtub, toilet and sink. I decide that I'm going to have a nice relaxing bubble bath. I take off my clothes and prepare the bath. I turn on some warm water and add bubbles. I step over the ledge of the tub and slowly submerge my self in the water. I sigh as the warm water hits my skin and I close my eyes and start to relax._

 _After about 1 hour in the bath I get out and throw on some pajamas. I turn off the lights and climb into bed. Closing my eyes, I drift off to sleep. Not knowing of the black shadow watching me from the window._

* _Time Skip_ *

 _My eyes flutter open and I slowly sit up. I yawn and stretch my arms above my head. I rub my eyes as I get out of bed, my feet touching the cold floor. I look to the clock on the wall seeing that it is 7:32 am. I make my way to my suitcase and pull out a black mini skirt, a white tanktop and my knee high brown boots. After pulling my hair into it's usual side ponytail, I grab my things and head out the door._

 _I walk past the front desk and drop the key off there. After saying farewell to the lady at the front desk, I make my way to the location of the forset the Mayor gave me._

 _I whip around fast. Looking around as I heard footsteps behind me. After making sure no one was there, I continue on my way. Looking around me every so often._

 _After a 10 minute walk, I arrive at the forest. I look down and grab my keys, holding them in my hand, feeling them warm at my touch. I smile and let them go, letting them hit back against my hip. Staring straight ahead, I venture into the forest while praying that this mission goes successfully. As I'm walking I suddenly feel a strange magical energy. I can't really tell if it's good or bad. I look around me for any sort of answer to what it is. But as soon as it came, it was gone. I shrug it off and keep walking._

 _5 minutes of aimlessly walking through the forest, I still haven't seen anything that could give me a clue as to where Crypto was taking those women. After that though I hear running coming towards me and I get into a battle stance, grabbing my keys and whip. My eyes widen after I hear what sounds like a girl screaming for help. I run towards the direction I think it came from and stumble upon a girl that looks 17 and is severly injured. She has bruises everywhere and seems to be bleeding from several places. She may have internal injuries as she is holding her stomach. When she finally sees me she tenses up and looks about ready to sprint out of here._

 _I give her a kind smile. "Hello there. I'm Lucy and I'm a member of the FairyTail guild. I'm not here to hurt you. Are you okay?"_

 _From what I saw she visibly relaxed. She starts walking towards me in shaky steps and reach for her. She falls into my arms and I hug her as tightly as I can without hurting her. She starts balling her eyes out, shaking as the sobs racked her body. I hushed her with strokes and calm words._

 _Good things never last long though. I felt a swish of air go past my head and then the girl screams in pain. I look down to see a knife imbedded into her chest; piercing her heart. She falls to the ground and I take a shuddering breath and reach for my keys, slowly stepping away from the dead women. I hear footsteps behind me and I swiftly turn around summoning one of my spirits._

 _"Open, Gate of the Lion, Leo!" In a chime of golden light, I see Loke. I relax a bit and run up to him, explaining the situation._

 _"Loke I have no idea what's going on I need help. What do I..." I say but I start to trail off as I see Loke start to disappear. I scream for him but he says something is forcing a gate closure. He screams at me to run and I obey._

 _I start to run towards the entrance of the forest when I feel someone grab my hair and pull me back. The person covers my mouth with their hand, and I feel a towel cover my mouth as well. I struggle to break free. When I feel a stabbing pain in my left shoulder I stop struggling and scream into the towel. After that I feel a hard hit to the back of the head._

 _All the rest is unknown to me._

*Present*

I slowly open my eyes from the memories I had. After blinking away the darkness for a second time, I suddenly realize I'm shaking. I try to calm myself down but it wasn't working. I shakily move a hand to my left shoulder and feel a line covered in blood. It seems to have closed but I rip a piece of what little clothing I have left on and wrap it around the wound. I exhale and look up to what I know as the ceiling.

As I'm lost in my thoughts, I feel liquid sliding down my cheeks. I lift my shaking right hand to my face and touch me cheeks to feel tears escaping my eyes. All the trauma has finally caught up. I put my hand over my mouth to try and stifle the hard sobs racking my body. All the while thinking:

"Why me?"

"What have I done to deserve this?"

" _Is anyone ever going to find me and save me?_ "

Then I freeze at my thoughts. The sudden realization that I have no idea where I am made me shake harder. I don't even know who kidnapped me.

The sound of footsteps made me stop my thoughts and freeze. I try backing myself against the corner of the wall, trying to make myself smaller and hidden. The footsteps suddenly stop and I release the breath I was holding. Then, I hear the door handle start to turn, making a loud screeching noise. I start trembling at the sound and whimper, trying to get closer to the wall.

The door swings open, revealing a tall figure that is dressed in all black. He stays at the entrance of the door for a while before slowly walking closer to me. I tremble and cover my head praying to god he won't hurt me.

Then he spoke to me;

"Hello there. Sorry for bringing you here so unexpectedly. I was just hoping we could have a little... fun with that great magic you have. My name is Crypto. It is nice to meet you.. Lucy Heartfilia."

and at that moment I knew I would never escape whatever hell I am in. The thought only made me shake harder.


End file.
